Archive for March, 2012

OK, it’s about a month away from the one year anniversary of Prince William and Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge. Which means there’s going to be a flood of souvenirs marking the occasion.

Like this one.

A new mug marking Will and Kate's anniversary. Notice anything? (Photo: Guandong Enterprises)

Oh, did you notice something in wrong? Like, say, the mug features a photo of Prince Harry – not Prince William.

As if that’s not bad enough, the back of the mug reads: “The body of a man, the beauty of a woman, may they produce children.”

Ugh, as if there’s not enough pressure to have babies – now the couple has to see it on some cheap ceramic mug?

The best part – THIS ISN’T THE FIRST TIME THEY’VE DONE THIS!

Now, there is a disclaimer at the bottom of the website saying it’s a “novelty” item which features the likeness of Prince Harry and Kate Middleton – so this is likely all a joke. But why? Am I missing something about why this is funny?

Prince Harry holds an eight week old puppy called Veyron during a visit to the charity Canine Partners Training Centre in 2010. (Photo: Anwar Hussein Collection/WENN.com)

Friday is National Puppy Day – along with being Princess Eugenie’s birthday.

What better way to celebrate than with a couple of photos of Prince Harry with puppies?

Enjoy!

Prince Harry watches a labrador puppy called Una being trained during a visit to the charity Canine Partners Training Centre in 2010. (Photo: Anwar Hussein Collection/WENN.com)

Princess Eugenie is seen here in London in January. (Photo: Will Alexander/WENN.com)

Today is Princess Eugenie’s 22nd birthday.

Eugenie is the daughter of the Duke of York and his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York.

Let’s be honest, though. How much do we really know about Eugenie (other than the fact she and her sister made some bad choices when it came to fashion for their cousin’s wedding last year).

So, in celebration of her big day, here are 22 facts about the princess:

1. She is sixth in line for the throne (the second woman behind her sister, Beatrice).

2. She was the first royal baby to have a public christening.

3. Her middle names are Victoria Helena.

4. She attends Newcastle University, where she is studying art history, English and politics.

5. Her first official Royal engagement was in 2008 – she visited a teenage cancer ward at St. James’ Hospital in Leeds. She was there with her mother.

6. She was named after Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, the granddaughter of Queen Victoria (the current King of Spain is her grandson).

7. She was just two years old when her parents separated.

8. She had surgery when she was 12 to prevent her spinal curvature from getting worse.

9. She plays computer games.

10. In 2008, it was reported she stripped naked with friends at her boarding school and they “frolicked like nymphs” on the lawn.

11. When she was 17, she used to have a MySpace page (didn’t we all?) where she discussed her life in detail, but it has since been shut down.

12. She enjoys photography.

13. Like her cousin, Prince Harry, the tabloids love to cover her nights out on the town and in bars. In 2009 she was criticized for going out until 4 a.m. after the Queen Mother’s memorial.

14. She’s smart – it’s often reported she gets top grades in her classes.

15. She’s known for her fashion sense – but unlike the newest royal (Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge), Eugenie is often criticized for short hemlines and bizarre hats.

16. Her favourite colour is purple.

17. She’s dating 24-year-old waiter Jack Brooksbank. In the past she has been linked to Richard Branson’s nephew, Otto Brockway.

18. When Glee star Chris Colfer met Eugenie and her sister, he invited them to be on the hit show. “The princesses love Glee,” he told The U.K. Sun newspaper.

19. She helped her mother create a documentary about horrendous conditions of orphanages in Turkey. Sarah Ferguson has been charged for secretly filming inside the orphanages, although it’s unlikely she’ll ever return to Turkey to face the charges.

20. She no longer has 24-hour police protection after it was revealed it was costing more than $775,000 annually to keep watch over her and her sister. They now only get protection when attending official royal family events.

21. She loves corn on the cob, hot dogs and donuts.

22. She is not planning any formal role with the royal family in her future. The Queen indicated Eugenie and her sister should find their own careers, although they will likely still partake in some royal duties.

Queen Elizabeth addresses both Houses of Parliament, next to her husband Prince Philip at Westminster Hall in London on Tuesday. (Photo: Kirsty Wigglesworth/REUTERS)

The Diamond Jubilee is a good time to reflect, the Queen says.

That includes her relationship with Parliament, the amazing work by volunteers and the Armed Forces, and her own reign.

“We are reminded here of our past, of the continuity of our national story and the virtues of resilience, ingenuity and tolerance which created it. I have been privileged to witness some of that history and, with the support of my family, rededicate myself to the service of our great country and its people now and in the years to come,” Queen Elizabeth told the U.K. Parliament on Tuesday.

She thanked MPs for the beautiful window dedicated to her.

“I am therefore very touched by the magnificent gift before me, generously subscribed by many of you. Should this beautiful window cause just a little extra colour to shine down upon this ancient place, I should gladly settle for that,” she said.

The Queen talked about her link to Parliament, and how pleased she was some MPs were there for her Golden Jubilee, and many would remember her Silver Jubilee. But she also said she was “very pleased” to be addressing younger MPs.

She talked briefly about Prince Philip, who is “well-known for declining compliments” but “has been a constant strength and guide.”

She also said she was “very proud and grateful” her family would be embarking on Diamond Jubilee tours this year, including Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, who will be coming to Canada in May.

Read the full speech here.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, on Monday during her first official outing alone. (Photo: Zak Hussein/WENN.com)

The Duchess of Cambridge gave her first speech Monday at the East Anglia Children’s Hospice, but the main focus by the media wasn’t so much on her words, but on what she wore.

Kate’s 2008 Reiss dress was the same one her mother wore to the Ascot horse races in 2010. Palace sources were quick to point out Kate’s mother had borrowed the dress from her daughter.

Some media outlets noted she “recycled” the dress — which is quickly becoming a trademark for the duchess.

Her actual speech was, for the most part, glazed over.

“What you do is inspirational,” she told staff and volunteers at the East Anglia Children’s Hospice, adding she was “enormously proud” to be their patron.

While some said she shone in her first speech, I think it was clear she needs to work on her public speaking. She was constantly checking her notes – either due to nerves or because the speech was handed to her just moments before she arrived. The best public speakers barely look at their notes – this is something she’ll need to work on to avoid those awkward pauses in the middle of every sentence.

Did she blow it out of the park with her first outing? Not really. She did what Kate does best – she smiled, she sat beside children (which made for lovely photo ops), and she greeted people easily and accepted flowers. Really, except for the fact we know this was her first time out on her own, it seemed it was just like every other royal appearance, ever. So, maybe in that sense, it was a success.

A photo gallery of Kate’s first outing:

See photo gallery

Prince Harry is seen leaving a club in London early Friday morning. There were reports he was chatting up a pretty blonde. (Photo: WENN.com)

There has been lots of chatter about Prince Harry’s love life after he gave a revealing interview to CBS after his tour in Brazil.

During the interview, he says he isn’t searching for someone to fulfill the role of being his wife, “But obviously, you know, finding someone that would be willing to take it on.”

He also notes he is not like everyone else. He knows his name has an impact.

“There are times when my brother and I wish we were completely normal,” he told the interviewer.

But why is Harry still single?

The Daily Mail questioned why the 27-year-old prince can’t find love – certainly there are enough ladies who would jump at the chance to be by his side.

But really, I wonder how many want to be by his side for the long haul.

Harry comes from a broken home – his parents could barely stand the sight of each other by the time he was born – so he may be looking for someone who will stand by him through thick and thin – not until the bottle of champagne stops flowing. He does not want his parents’ marriage.

At the same time, he’s a pretty independent guy. He can’t have a woman who is too clingy, but someone willing to give him his space and, perhaps the hardest thing, trust him.

In a world where celebrity marriages are rarely forever, and some last a whopping 72 days (I’m looking at you, Kim Kardashian), I don’t think anyone should be pressuring Prince Harry to get married. He needs to settle down on his own and find that love of his life – not settle for Mrs. Right Now and get divorced in a few short months or years.

I do not for one second believe the role of Prince Harry’s future wife would be an easy one. Certainly it wasn’t for Princess Diana, and the royal family is still treating the Duchess of Cambridge with kid gloves – easing her into royal duties. But it’s unlikely Catherine has taken to her new duties like a fish to water. While it does seem she enjoys the attention and loves spending her days with children and charities, there are also reports her role stresses her out, perhaps because she’d hate to disappoint her husband or the Queen.

Being Harry’s wife is also going to be stressful. Sure, it’s unlikely she’d be the future queen, but she’d still have duties to tend to and she’d also have to live up to Harry’s persona. No one would accept Harry with a boring wife.

So no, I don’t think it’s easy for him to find love. It’s easy for him to date girls, or have one-night stands – but finding someone who is willing to put up with the royal duties, the strict rules, the paparazzi and tabloids, all while smiling and carrying on making it look like the easiest thing in the world for the rest of her life – that is not going to be as simple as some people think.

Plus, let’s all be honest – single Harry is just way more fun. Let’s leave him be for a little while longer.

How can anyone question the monarchy in Canada when the Queen is so adorable? (Photo: Leon Neal/REUTERS)

Monarchy is a dangerous anachronism.

That was the topic of debate Wednesday night in an event hosted by the Macdonald-Laurier Institute at the Museum of Civilization Theatre in Gatineau, Que.

Unfortunately, given where I live, I couldn’t go – but the Otttawa Sun’s Anthony Furey did go.

Furey’s column is an interesting read.

He notes historian Michael Bliss said the monarchy will eventually be phased out in Canada. Massey College master John Fraser, instead, said the monarchy is “the mystery and magic” of our constitution.

But, Furey says, “Neither debater asked the key question that any monarchist must address: what is man’s relationship to government? Is man in charge of his government, or vice versa?”

He added, “Hereditary monarchy should offend the sensibilities of any proponent of democracy.”

I recommend reading the column, then let me know what you think. Do you agree with Furey?

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, plays a little field hockey Thursday. (Photo: Chris Jackson/REUTERS)

I don’t report on every outings by the royals, but there are two things about today’s appearance by Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge I love: The Olympics and field hockey.

I loved field hockey in high school – I think it was because I had an awesome coach, Ms. Post. There is something about the game that is awesome.

The duchess shows here she’s got some skills with the stick and this time, instead of wearing high heels (like she did in Canada when Prince William played road hockey), she’s got more appropriate shoes on.

Kate was at the Riverside Arena at Olympic Park in London on Thursday. She, her husband and Prince Harry are all ambassadors for the Olympics, which are being held this summer in London.

Updated: Canoe.ca now has a gallery of Kate’s sporty day out. Check it!

The Queen looks at performers at De Montfort University during a visit to Leicester, central England, on Thursday. (Photo: Oli Scarff/REUTERS)

The Queen was looking lovely in pink on Thursday as she kicked off her Diamond Jubliee tour of the U.K., with the Duchess of Cambridge by her side. Prince Philip was also there for the first part of the celebrations, but left midway through.

Thousands were out as the Queen and Catherine stepped out in central England.

The Queen’s four-month tour will take her through England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Full celebrations to mark the Queen’s 60 years on the throne will take place in London in June.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, sits beside the Queen on Thursday during a visit to central London. (Photo: Zak Hussein/WENN.com)

Other tour news: Thanks to commentor Mona for pointing out the Earl and Countess of Essex were recently on a tour of the West Indies (Feb. 21 to March 7). You can see a full report about their visit on the British Monarchy’s website, and view photos at the official Flickr account.

Highlights for Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie, included a stop at a music school, listening to the Barbados police band, attending a national youth rally in Grenada, and meeting children in Trinidad.

There is no doubt about it – Prince Harry’s Diamond Jubilee tour (and his first solo tour) has been a hit.

Harry has been charming everyone in Belize, Jamaica, and Bahamas. No doubt that will continue as he heads to Brazil Friday.

We’ve seen him make speeches, dedicate a street to his granny, take part in a military exercise, and enjoy the festive atmosphere of these Central American countries – without becoming tabloid fodder.

These were perhaps the best countries to send a single, fun-loving royal for his first tour.

But, let’s be honest, even if it is Harry and even if he is having fun, royal tours are a bit boring. The royals go places, they smile, they make speeches that aren’t going to rock the world, and then they leave.

So instead of telling you about his tour, let’s look at some photos:

See photo gallery